A Christmas Hoppity Hop :)

Good morning peeps.
Thanks for stopping by and if you've arrived here from  our Becky’s blog, then you are in the right place because today we are holding a Lili of the Valley design team blog hop to celebrate the launch of our gorgeous new Christmas products

This 2014 collection is the most adorable mix of 22 cute character stamps – there’s new vintage boys & girls, snowmen, penguins and angels. In short, there’s something for everybody in this little lot : )

You will be able to buy everything  on the website from midnight on Friday August 1st (UK time) along with our new Christmas paper pads and some useful clear stamp sets (Christmas sentiments, carols and mini images and also some everyday recipes which are brilliant)

The LOTV design team are all joining in and you know how it works me darlins. You just need to ‘hop’ from one blog to another following the links and leaving a comment on each card.  Along the way you will hopefully pick up lots of ideas and inspiration for different ways to use the new images

As always there are fabulous prizes up for grabs on this hop. We don’t know where they are hidden of course,  so do make sure you that you visit and comment on every blog.

We will let you know tomorrow evening which were the ‘lucky’ blogs and the winners will be drawn at random from all the comments that were left on those blogs

We have a full set of the new Christmas image stamps to give away;

1^st prize is the 12 angels, penguins and snowmen

2^nd prize is the 10 vintage children

2 awesome giveaways : )

So what did I do then?

Well here is my card – I kept it very simple -  and the image I used is called

Seeds & Greetings (I LOVE that!!)

It is so easy to colour and I coloured it with the following Copics -

BG0000, C00, C0, C1, C2, C4, C5, C7, C10, E30, E31, E35, E39, E50, R05, R14, R17, R46, R59, YG00, YG03, YG95, YR04, YR16, YR68

The paper is from one of the new pads – this is Twas The Night.

Here’s another newbie – this is one of the new sentiments.
I'm not sure what this set is called yet but keep your eyes peeled for it because there is every Chrimbly sentiment you will ever need on here and in different fonts and styles as well.

 

Here’s a list of everybody who is taking part in the hop -

Ideas to Inspire

Anne
Becky
Dawny (that'll be me then!!)
Dena
Elise
Fleur
Gretha
Jen
Kathy
Lou
Mary J
Mindy

So the next stop is the sweetness that is our Dena, and if you get lost you can start again at the beginning and pick the links up from there.

Finally, don’t forget to stop by the Ideas to Inspire blog tomorrow evening when you can find out who the lucky winners were of the prizes before the new products go on sale

Enjoy the hop everyone, good luck and huggiest of hugs to all xxx

Millie & Friend

Good morning peeps and I hope you are all OK today and managing to stay reasonably cool!!

A few weeks ago, Lydia from Splitcoast Stampers  emailed me to ask if I would like to be one of the Dirty Dozen.
Well of course I said yes please!! So for the next 6 months, you’ll find me over there. To be honest, I never realised what a fabulous source of info and inspiration that website is -  it is amazing, and I’m so glad I agreed to do this.

So this is for my first month and the theme is to use any of the past themes from the last 10 years, or you can case another dirty girl’s card.

My card uses the Best Buds theme …

… and here it is.

I also chose this card as my own fave for this month.
I love it because of the colours, the gorgeous papers and sweet image.
I rather like the layout as well.

The image is LOTV  Milly - Me & My Dog.
I have to confess that I cannot for the life of me find the list of Copics that I used, I'm ever so sorry.
If I do come across it I’ll amend this but I have a sneaky feeling that I’ve chucked it out : )

These beautimous papers are all from the latest Lili of The Valley paper pad releases and they are from Up Up & Away and Country Meadow. And just for a change I used of the sentiments from the Sentiments to Fit Scroll set. If they weren't such hard wearing stamps, I’d have worn this set out long ago lol.

You can probably see that I’ve been busy inking and stitching as well.

A bit of fabby habby here.

I used some 16mm Aqua Ruffle Edge Sheer ribbon, some 9mm 9422 Pink Beauty Velvet Berisford ribbon (lush) and topped them off with a 14mm Acrylic Gem. And of course this is all from Mary at The Ribbon Girl.

 

I did the punching and chopping thing with these flowers – I am sooo into making paper flowers at the mo.

I thought the cute lil Joy Crafts Clouds from Dies To Die For  looked fab with the papers : )

 

So that’s me done for today and I’ll be back tomorrow – or verrry soon – with another card to share.

Have a great day and stay cool me darlins!!!

Huggiest of hugs xxx

 

Blimey O’Reilly It’s Warm !!

 

 

 

Good morning sweet peeps and is it hot today or is it HOT!!!

It’s my turn to post over at the DTDF Cutey Crafts blog today, and here’s ….

 

… my card.

It features a Bildmalarna image  and this one is the sweet Mimosa Guitar.
I’m not sure that I’ve ever coloured one of these images before but they are  just gorgeous, and I coloured her with the following Copics -

Skin E000, E00, E13, R00, R02,
Hair E31, E35, E39, E50
The rest B0000, B05, B23, B32, B39, B93, B97, E30, E41, E42, E43, E50, E87, R00, R045, YG00, YG03, YG95

 So just one or two then lol!!!

The beautiful papers are Maja Design - Coffee in the Arbour - White Daisies – verry pretty I think .

 

 

See the border there with the lace on?
Well this is the strip on the bottom of the plaid paper …

 

… you can see it on here.
I thought it was too good not to use.

The beautiful lace is from Mary at The Ribbon Girl.
I’ve forgotten which one it is (doh!!) but I will update this when I’ve sorted my two brain cells out !!!

 

This wide grosgrain type ribbon was off of a bedding set I bought recently from BHS.
The crafter in me couldn’t bear to part with it and I'm glad I kept it now.

I topped it with one of Mary’s 14mm Acrylic Gems.

The daisy, which isn't in this pic, is also from Mary and it’s a 40mm White Mulberry Daisy

 

I haven’t used it for a while I now but I thought it had been idle for long enough!!
Yes I’m talking about the good old Magnolia Doohickey Leaf and Swirl die.

In fact, I thought that as it had been slacking for soooo long, I would use it twice : )

 

 

So that’s my card for today.

It’s been so muggy these last few nights that I bet none of us have slept properly. I have a fan going in our bedroom all night which annoys the hell out of his Lordship because he says it gives him a sore throat. I guess it’s better than the headache he would get from me moaning it if wasn't there though. It has to be strategically placed so that not one iota of breeze blows on to him.

Anyway last night I had one of those eureka moments.
Now this is how dim I am at times peeps cos really it is plain common sense.
I used a wet flannel to dampen my skin and then the breeze from the fan chilled the wet skin right down.

Yayyy, result.

I was cool at last,  or rather cool enough to get some zzzzs.

Talking of dim,  I am not without intelligence (no, really lol), but there are times when I do the daftest things.
If you’ve followed this blog for a while you will know this fo sho!!

So the dope struck again last week.

I decided that I would get an electric mincer …

.. this bad boy here from Lakeland (not cheap but a mincer is for life and not just for Christmas, I do believe).
The reason I got it is that doing this diet (a stone of flab gone up to now, wooohoooo), I’ve got a few recipes for stuff that used mince. I am a really fussy mare about mince and I never quite trust what’s in it from the supermarket.  Plus you can make sure that there is zilcho fat involved if you do it yourself.

So we got it home and I decided to make some burgers.

To be honest, they were not very nice because I didn't put in enough seasoning but hey ho, we live and learn and anyway, I’m digressing.

So the dope here didn't read the instructions properly and bunged all the moving parts into the dishwasher.
See that lovely shiny silver bit on the actual mincer? Well it is now dull and grey. I could have cried because to be fair, I am usually very verrry careful about stuff like that and I do generally look after me stuff!!!

So I rang Lakeland to ask if they sold anything that would restore it to it’s gorgeous shiny self again. They didn’t - there isn’t anything unfortunately – so I asked the nice lady if I could buy some spares. She said she would see what she could do but she couldn't promise and she would get back to me.

That was last Thursday and today, Mr Postie has brought me some a parcel of lovely shiny new parts. My machine now looks as good as it did before I ruined it, and better still there was no charge.

Wooohoooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!

Now in this day and age where most companies do not know how to even spell customer service, I am truly impressed.

So a massive huge big up to Lakeland – they have restored my faith in human nature and I think they are completely and utterly awesome.

So on that happy as Larry note (whoever he is), I’m off.

Have a fabulous day, stay cool and I’ll see you soon as soon.
Huggiest of hugs to all  xx

Little Blossom

 

Good morning sweet peeps, and a very happy Thursday to everybody x

It’s my turn to host the post over at the DTDF Cutey Crafts blog and the card I’m sharing today features the little cutie above.

 

She is CC Designs - Pollycraft – Blossom and I coloured her with these Copics -

Skin – E000, E00, E13, R00, R02
Hair – E31, E35, E39, E50
The rest – B63, BG0000, BG10, BG15, R00, R02, R05, YG00

The papers are from the new Echo Park - Simple Life - Dots & Stripes 6 x 6 Pad.
I LOVE these colours together. 

 

 

 

 

I actually used an Impression Obsession die here – it’s a Square Cutout Border die.
I curled it slightly then stuck it down so that it bevelled in the middle. 
Then I promptly covered it up with some chopped up leaves cut with a Memory Box Lavish Branch and some little Wildflower Patch flowers.  

Am I the only one that does that???
Sometimes even I don't understand myself!!!!

The sentiment is from my my all time fave LOTV  Sentiments to Fit Scroll set.

 

 

I did a bit of 3D-ing with the flower – like you do!!

And there’s a bit of glitter in there as well, just for a change lol.

 

Another helping of Sue Wilson’s bow die.
I’m rather liking this bad boy : )

 

 

 

So that’s my card and that’s me done for today and I’m off to do some work.

Have a great day and huggiest of hugs to all xx

A Papertake Weekly Sneakie Peekie :)

Morning sweet peeps and hope you are all OK today xx

It’s that time of the week when we head on over to the Papertake Weekly challenge and this week our theme is

Buttons, Bows & Bling

and it’s ever so easy – you just need to include one, two or all of them in your work.

Simples!!

And here’s ….

… what I did.

Now if you’re thinking that you haven't seen that image before, then you would indeed be right because it’s one of the brand new Lili of The Valley Christmas images. You are sooo going to love this cute little lot and if you keep your eyes peeled on the DT blogs over the next few weeks then you’ll see lots of other sneak peeks as well.

The image I used is called

The Perfect Tree

and I coloured it with these Copics -

Skin – E000, E00, E13, R00, R02
Hair – E31, E35 
Squirrel – E07, E08, E97, E99
The rest –E23, E27, E30, E31, E35, E39, E50, E99, G99, R05, R14, R17, R27, R59, YG00, YG03, YG95 
and I outlined everything with Glamour Dust.

The papers are Lili of The Valley Simple Joys – proper Chrimbly colours these :)

I also added some Liquid Pearls to look like falling snow.

I made the tree using Dee's Distinctively - Christmas Stacker Tree Dies and did a bit of sanding on the edges!!

 

The bow was made using a Creative Expressions Craft Dies by Sue Wilson – this is Finishing Touches Collection - Classic 3D Itty Bitty Bow.
And I topped it with a Wooden Star Button  from The Ribbon Girl.

That sweet curvy sentiment is also a LOTV newbie so keep your eyes peeled for those as well.
I thought it mirrored the Spellbinders Curved Borders 1 perfectly.

If I made this again, I would add an extra white mat behind the green to make it stand out more.

So there we are all done for today.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my sneakie peekie and don’t forget to check out the other Papertake girlies cos there’s some fabulous stuff over there.

Have the best day and huggiest of hugs to all xxx

Thank You

Good morning sweet peeps and a very happy Sunday to you - I hope that you are all having a fab weekend : )

It’s time for another ‘Lovely Lili’ challenge over at The Ribbon Girl blog and our challenge is a lovely one indeed because it's all about saying

Thank You

It’s always nice to say thank you I think – if only some people in our village would remember this when you let them through even if it is your right of way - (ooh it is one of my pet hates!!).

We have 2 fab prizes for you -

A LOTV stamp of your choice

and a £10 voucher towards a spending spree at The Ribbon Girl

I think you may be surprised at my card today because it was one I did when I fiddling with the shabby chic /vintage thing a few weeks ago  and here …

... it is.
And not an image in sight!!! .

One of the designers whose cards I just adore is Klaudia and my card here was inspired by a card that she did.
So I must say thank you to her first  for the inspiration I have gotten from looking at her beautiful work xxx

The papers I used are the gorgeous Lili of The Valley Antebellum and I inked and distressed them to within an inch of their lives.
They can take it lol!!

The sentiment is from the LOTV Set 58 - Pretty Grungy - Good Times set.
I stamped it straight onto the paper and then punched it out.
It looks like it is at a very dodgy angle in this pic but it isn't IRL – it’s just how it looked from the angle I took the pic!!

I used a mixture of home made paper flowers which I made using Tim Holtz Tattered Florals and others which I got from Mary at The Ribbon Girl.

The flowers from Mary are -

 Tiny Pink Rosebuds, White Starburst Stamen, Pink / Pale Pink Beaded Berries, White Beaded Twirl, 10mm Pink Open Rose, White Floribunda Rose, Floribunda Roses Raspberry Ripple, Darjeeling White Blossom Flower, White Kort & Godt Chrysanth, Rolled Paper Flowers - Ivory Roses Kort & Godt.

I also used  White Seam Binding which I dyed using a Cosmic Shimmer spray.
I spritzed it with the spray then scrunched it up and left it to dry and it dried all lovely and crinkly.

I also used 12mm White Cotton Lace and White Tulle.

The leaves are Tim Holtz Bigz Garden Greens and I die cut them from white card then used some Distress inks and Cosmic Shimmer spray on them so that they looked a bit variegated.

I was quite pleased with how this turned out and it’s given me the confidence to try another card like this s0 watch this space!!
I think I can see an improvement from my last attempt which I’m happy about.

Right I'm off to do some more colouring  - I can’t say what of just yet but it is seasonal, ho ho ho (hee hee heeee).
Then I have to finish, nay start, the grey wicker heart wall hanging thingie which I bought months ago for our bedroom wall.
It needs a bit of tarting up with some floral what nots and ribbon or lace then it can be hung up.

Dicky Mint is at work today and I did my housework (yawwwwwn) yesterday so that  I can have a whole day to craft. Well, that's the plan but Sod’s law that it won’t pan out like that – it never does : 0)

Have a great day whatever you are doing and huggiest of hugs to all xxx

It’s Just NOT Fair :(((

 

 

 

Good morning sweet peeps.
Dawny P here and a happy Thursday to everybody.

I did the dreaded weigh in on Monday and I was not a happy bunny.
More of that in a sec.

It’s my turn to do the post today over at the DTDF Cutey Craft blog and my card features a very sweet lil poppet called Dawn : )

She’s Little Dawn to be exact (oooh I wish!!) and she’s a Nellie Snellen image.

Her full title is Little Dawn - Watering and here’s …..

… what I made with her.

I coloured her with the following Copics -

Skin – E000, E00, E13, R00, R02
Hair – E31, E34, E35, E50
The rest – E30, G0000, G000, G21, G94, YG00, YG03, YG95, YR02, YR04, YR20, YR61
and I outlined her with Glamour Dust.

The papers are from an Echo Park Sweet Day 6x6 Pad – such sunny colours : )

 

I thought I’d add a few clouds to mirror the paper here and these were made using the Joy Crafts Clouds set.
I gave them a bit of bling as well (sometimes I just can’t help myself!!).

 

These blooms were made from the paper pad and I used a Die-namics Rolled Daisy die. 
You can just about see the Francesca Border here and there’s also some leaves which I punched from a Martha Stewart Punch - Frond Branch.

 

 

 

I made a little bow arrangement thingie using some 23mm White Organza Ribbon, some Peach Seam Binding, an Aqua Small Striped Button and a bit of string I found in the bottom of my haberdashery stashery!!!

The ribbons and button are from my lovely Mary over at The Ribbon Girl.

 

I also used some DCWV hessian paper but I have to say I am not at all fussed on it if I’m being honest.
I couldn't get it to cut very well through the die cutting machine and it didn't guillotine well either – sorry, I’m just sayin peeps!!!

 

Well I was not happy on Monday I can tell you.

On Sunday, Rich and I sat discussing the weight loss thing – he is on the diet as well – and he fessed to having had  a Freddo bar AND a ruddy Ripple this last week. Well I told him that that was his weight loss down the Swanee fo sho. And then  proceeded to feel vey smug because apart from going out last Tuesday, I have stuck religiously to the diet.

So Monday is our weigh in day.
Guess who hadn't lost a single bloody ounce and guess who had lost 2lbs?

So the tables were well and truly turned and it was his Lordship's turn to feel smug while I just felt thoroughly hacked off.

Not a single drop of vino has passed my lips in weeks, no cakes, no choccie, no biscuits, no nothing.

I could have cried.

I was probably being paid back for being a smug old smart ass.
That will teach me I guess.
Next time I will just smile sweetly and say well done dear for having all the choc and 25 portions of pudding and  a huge plate of ribs with JD sauce (while I just had steak and veg) and still managing to lose weight while I have lost nowt, yadda yadda.

I’m not at all bitter, (cry cry) !!!

I haven’t told him but I had a sneaky weigh in this morning and there’s a 1lb gone – woohooooo : ))))

Right I’m off.

I’ll see you soon as soon,  have a great weekend and huggiest of hugs to all xxx

 

As Clint Would Say, Are You Feeling Lucky?

 

Good morning everyone, and I hope that you are all OK today.

This post is going out at 7am on the 7th day of the 7th month – lucky seven if you are superstitious (I am a bit!!). 
But as it happens, if you are after some new Lili of The Valley stamps then you are indeed in luck.  Before I get to me project, check out the pic above and if you want more details, then bob on over to the Ideas To Inspire Blog and check it all out.

What a lovely way to start the week with some good news.

And doesn’t it make a change!!!

Ok now for today’s project and here ….

… it is.

I’ve made a window box using our beautiful Antebellum papers and apart from the leaf vine and grass, everything here is made from the pad.

I really like this pad – it ticks so many boxes, pardon the pun!!

Can you imagine that wood on a vintage Christmas card?
I whispered that last bit – oooh it’s a bit too early for that sort of festive talk!!

The actual window box was made using an Eileen Hull Window Box die which is made by Sissix.
Isn't it fab peeps : )

Not only that but it’s so easy to put together – I LIKE that.

I made a blind using a MS Doily punch and the teeny flowers were made from the middle bits of a Susan Tierney Sunflower Thinlits die – they're the tiny little brown bits you can see in the middle of this flower here …. .

Now before you think that I have wayyy too much time on my hands to sit and shape every one of those tiny things, the way I did this was to die cut it (they are all together on one die – you can see what I mean on the pic),  but before I popped them out, I positioned the die over a moulding pad (or you could use an old mouse mat) and I popped them through with a small embossing tool.
They shape as they drop out – easy peasy.

 

The grass and leaf vines were cut using Memory Box dies – Lavish Branch and Grassy Border.

 

And the flowers were just made using a medium Woodware punch

 

So that’s me done for today.

Did you watch the tennis?  Talk about nail biting and tense. I have to admit that I would have liked to see old Roge win if I could have chosen and indeed if you had been near our house as this awesome match was going on then you would no doubt have heard old fog horn Lil here cheering him on!!

It wasn’t to be.

But for all of us tennis fans, above anything else, it was one of the best finals I’ve seen in many a year – truly a fantastic game of tennis.

Right, I’m off to do the dreaded weekly weigh in – it’s just a short hop to the bathroom lol. I’ve been good apart from (there’s always an ‘apart from’) going out for dinner on Tuesday and even then I had diet Coke and only a few chips (she say, polishing her halo!!).

I’ll let you know tomorrow if the results were good or bad.

Till then have a fab day and huggiest of hugs to all xxx